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Devotional Thought for our seemingly broken days:16 Once a man came to Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me concerning what is good?” answered Jesus. “There is only One who is good. Keep the commandments if you want to enter life.” 18 “What commandments?” he asked. Jesus answered, “Do not commit murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not accuse anyone falsely; 19 respect your father and your mother, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 20 “I have obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else do I need to do?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was very rich. 23 Jesus then said to his disciples, “I assure you: it will be very hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of heaven. 24 I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were completely amazed. “Who, then, can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked straight at them and answered, “This is impossible for human beings, but for God everything is possible.”Matthew 19:16-26 (TEV)

486 A heart which loves the things of the earth beyond measure is like one fastened by a chain—or by a “ fine thread”—which stops it flying to God.

If you are going to make a resolution this year, I urge you to look closely at the above passage from scripture, and the words of wisdom from St. Josemaria.

And before you vow to lose weight, kick caffeine or some other bad habit, or taking on something new like going back to school or learning something, I want to ask you something.

What is holding you back?

What has tied you down, and restrains you from living life.

Of course, that leads to another question, what does it mean to live life.

The young man in the gospel story was after that, for to live eternally is not just about life after, but it is the life that is given now, which is never taken from us, even if we physically die. Modern psychology might call it self-actualization, or they might point to obtaining some state of consciousness. We might joke about it as being at one with the force.

And most religions, including cults like Scientology, have some way to attain it, some way of freeing your mind and soul from that which separates you from eternity. Some may even see it similarly to Jesus, and realize that it is not about attaining something, but freeing your heart and soul from things which bind it, restrict it, and stop you from soaring like an eagle, free of all encumbrances.

For the rich young man, ( Paul the apostle perhaps?) it was wealth. There are a number of other things we could suggest, things that tie u down and restrict us from walking with God. These things may even be the negative things of our past, that we can’t seem to escape the impact of, or at least we think we cannot. We can’t tie ourselves to these things, but we too often do.

So how do we escape? How do we cut these things that bind us, that we “love” an yet hate? How do we stop loving these things that hold us back?

We can not.

That’ right, we cannot.

Our only hope, the only strategic option we have is simply this.

Realize you love God more. And the way to do that spends time dwelling in His love. Paul says it this way:

18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.Ephesians 3:16-19 (NLT)

If you want to see a change in your life in 2018, if you want to break free from all that holds you back, then experience His love.

Come join his people as we celebrate that love, as we share in His gospel, as we commune with Him in the sacrament He ordained to do this very thing. Spend time in His word, not just studying it, but looking at it to see how He loves his people. Rejoice as you encounter His faithfulness to them, knowing it will be the same to you.

This will change you, even though you may not see it yourself. Others will, and they will praise God as you get even more hungry and thirsty to spend time with Him.

The Lord is with you… you just need to know that. And I pray all that read this will! (Pray for me a well, because I need to!